Electrically operated hair curler



Feb. 19, 1952 v. P. SMITH ELECTRICAL-LY OPERATED HAIR CURLER Filed Feb. 14, 1949 Fig. 4.

Inventor Vincent P. Sm/M My 5 Attorneys Patented Feb. 19, 1 952 1 UNITED, STATES PATENT ELECTRICALLY OPERATED 1mm GURLER Vincent P. Smith, Corpus Christi, Tex.

Application February 14, 1949, Serial No. 76,387 (01. 132-34) 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in hair curlers and more particularly to an electrically operated curling spindle.

An important object of the invention is to provide a novel friction drive between the electric motor of the curler and the spindle to eliminate danger of pulling the hair while curling the hair on the spindle.

Another object is to provide a light-weight electrically operated hair curler which may be held on one hand of a person in a manner permitting free use of the fingers of both hands to arrange the hair for attaching strands to be curled on the spindle.

A further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is eificient and reliable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration 1 have disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates a motor housing in which a reversable electric motor 6 is mounted with a reversing switch 1 on top of the housing.

The front end of housing 5 is provided with a circular dome-shaped drive housing 8 in the front end of which a hair curling spindle 9 is journaled. A pair of resilient disks ID are secured in confronting relation to the inner end of spindle 9 by bolts I l, the periphery of the disks being flared to form a V-groove [2 having a bevelled wheel l3 positioned in friction driving engagement therein. The wheel I3 is secured to the front end of motor shaft [4.

The motor housing 5 is of a suitable size for placing crosswise of and against the backs of the fingers of the hand of a person between the knuckles and the first finger joints and its bottom is curved to comfortably fit against the backs of the fingers and is provided with a. resilient bottom pad IS. A coil spring [6 is looped under the pad I5 and the ends of the spring are suitably attached to the front and rear ends of housing 5 person holding the housing 5 to secure the motor to the fingers without requiring use of the fingers to grip the motor and thus permitfree use of the fingers for other purposes. The drive housing 8 lies in a plane at a right angle to the median plane of the motor housing 5 and extends outwardly of the bottom of said housing 5 whereby to form a guard extending across the outer side of the fore finger of the hand and preventing hair from tangling with the coil spring I6, while, at the same time, providing an abutment against which the fore finger may be pushed in manipulating the curler. The hair curling spindle 9 is journaled in said housing in downwardly offset position relative to the bottom of said housing 5 for operation at and substantially opposite the fore finger side of the hand so as to facilitate inserting strands of hair in said spindle by thrusting the spindle toward such strands with the thumb of the hand free for use with the ends of the fingers, as occasion may require.

An electric extension cord [1 enters the rear end of housing 5 and includes a branch 18 underlying and suitably secured to coil spring l6 and provided with a conventional push-button switch The front end of spindle 9 is tapered as shown at 20, and formed with a longitudinal slot 2| in which strands of hair may be placed to hold the hair while being wound on the spindle.

In the operation of the device, the motor housing 5 is held at the back of one hand of a person by spring finger grip l6 and a strand of hair to be curled is inserted in slot 2| of spindle 9. Switch I9 is then moved into its on position to energize the motor and rotate spindle 9 to curl the hair thereon. Should the motor continue to operate after the hair has been completely wound on the spindle the resilient disks III will slip to prevent pulling the hair.

The tapering construction of the spindle will enable forming either small tight curls or large loose curls by positioning the strands of hair toward the outer end or toward the inner end of the spindle.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claim.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

.10 a nninr he front sides of said fingers of a so A hair curler for attachment to a hand, con

OFFICE,

prising a motor housing having a curved bottom adapted to rest against the backs of the fingers of the hand. a motor in said motor housing, a oirculardrive housing on oneend of said motor housinglying in'a plane at a right angle to the median plane of said motor housing and being oifset outwardly of the bottom of said motor housing to provide an abutment adapted to extend across the outside of the fore finger .of the hand for thrusting against by said fore finger in manipulating the curler, a flexible member connected at its ends to said .bottom: and adapted to extend across the fronts of said fingers to hold said motor housing to the backs of said fingers, a hair curling spindle journaled in said drive housing for operation at and opposite the forefinger side ofathe hand, and a drive in-said .drivehousingbetween said motor and spindle.

' 'VINCENTP. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are.of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 453,630 Evans June 9, 1891 1,573,639 Fischer Feb. 16, 1926 1,759,265 Kunin May 20, 1930 1,780,173 Crowe Nov. 4, 1930 2,024,459 Lee Dec. 17, 1935 2,448,263 Harmon Aug. 31, 1948 2,524,058 Kamara Oct. 3, 1950 FOREIGN I PATENTS Number Country Date 500,182 Germany Sept. 22,1931 

